The Anatomy of Your Website Copy
7 Key Elements You Need on Your Homepage
Have you ever felt stuck wondering what elements you should include on the homepage of your website?
You’re not alone.
It’s one of the most common questions we get as copywriters who’ve done a lot of website copywriting for solopreneurs and small service-based businesses.
Like the human skeleton, your website copy won’t function if the most important bones aren’t there.
Here are seven key elements your website homepage needs in order to walk and talk.
1. Your Benefit Statement Is The Head
When people arrive at your homepage they should immediately see right at the top what you do, who you do it for, and how you’re different from the rest. This is also known as “above the fold,” and it should be visible without scrolling. If visitors have to spend more than 6 seconds to find out how you can help them, they’ll click away.
Without a clear benefit statement (also known as a value proposition or brand promise statement), your site is as useless as a headless skeleton.
Here are some examples of benefit statements:
We’re NYC copywriters who write smart, creative copy for small business owners seeking an authentic voice that resonates.
I’m a human resources consultant and career coach who guides organizations and individuals toward solutions that help you transform how you work, one shift at a time.
We’re a New York video production agency that crafts custom cinematic experiences making the ordinary extraordinary for companies of all shapes and sizes.
If your company is an unknown quantity, part of your job is to educate people about what you do, not force them to play guessing games. Don’t let your website skeleton stumble around without a head.
2. Your Clients’ Pain Points Are Your Spine
Your head is held up by your spine, and your home page should be supported on the foundation of your clients’ pain points. We often see websites launching into a long list of features and benefits without connecting them to what the client needs. You might think that what you’re offering is awesome (and we’re sure that it is), but it’s more important to address your clients’ specific needs.
Some examples of client pain points we frequently encounter include:
Saving time or money
Are you wasting time trying to guess how the pieces of your marketing can fit into one big picture?
Finding expert advice and solutions from someone who really “gets” them and their industry
Are you a savvy small business owner ready to deliver high-touch customer experiences everywhere, bring order to your life, and expand your earning potential?
Getting to the next level in their business or career
Understanding how poker and business connect will help you gain insights into personalities and motivations, take bold, calculated risks, and improve your negotiation skills.
Don’t invest your precious time and money into your website copywriting if you’re not sure what your clients’ pain points really are. Instead, spend the time to learn what they are by checking your client testimonials and asking for feedback from existing clients. This will also help you get clear on the essential question of who your ideal client really is.
3. Social Proof and Testimonials Are The Arms of Your Website
When people visit your website, your social proof and testimonials should pull them in. They want to know who you’ve worked with. They’ll wonder - have they worked with people like me before? Have they worked with the businesses of colleagues, friends, or exceptional companies?
The location of your social proof section can vary. If you’ve had some very prestigious clients in your industry, you may want them near the top. Less well-known clients may not need so prominent a position.
Whatever the case may be, don’t forget to ask them for permission to put them on your website.
You should also include direct quotes or testimonial videos from former clients describing how you solved their problems. Nothing is more powerful than the words of satisfied clients. And, any press from major publications in your industry also belongs here.
We often find that our clients are very hesitant to ask for testimonials from their best clients. But asking them for Google Reviews, LinkedIn reviews or a video testimonial can give you a lot of material that you can repurpose on your own site and social media platforms.
Stuck on how to ask for client testimonials? We’ve got you!
4. Your Services are the Ribs Holding It All Together
Even if you have a separate services page, you’ll still want your homepage to include either a list or brief description of your services. Often, this is towards the middle of the page.
In our experience, fleshing these out succinctly can be one of the most challenging parts of a copywriting project if the client lacks clarity about who they serve or what they offer. Getting clear on your services before starting a website copywriting project can save a lot of time. Here are some examples from different industries
Video production company
Discovery, Ideation, Design, Production, Post-Production, Deliverable
Outsourced CMO
CMO Services, Small Business Workshop
Copywriter
Brand Voice and Website Copywriting, Long-Form Content, Resume, LinkedIn & Bio
HR Consultant
Consulting for small to medium purpose-driven organizations with limited or no HR/OD resources and Coaching for HR and Business leaders going through a shift.
5. The About You Section Are The Legs That Support You
Your business exists largely because of you and what you stand for. We always recommend including an About You teaser section on your homepage near the bottom. Focus on how your expertise relates back to your clients, but you should include some personal information and personality. Save the bulk of your story for the actual About page that this will link to.
6. Calls-to-Action (CTAs) Are The Fingers Pointing You In The Right Direction
Your website home page should have CTAs in multiple places, including above the fold, in the middle and at the bottom. And don’t make it boring. Skip “Learn More” and “Click Here” in favor of personality-driven copy that gets people excited to click the button.
Stuck coming up with creative CTAs? We have some examples you can adapt for yourself here.
7. Your Contact Details Are The Feet That Get People Moving
If people don’t know how to contact you easily, they will bounce from your website and onto someone else’s. That’s why many people place their contact information at multiple points throughout their websites, including at the very top of the page, in the middle, and at the bottom.
If you have a business phone number that you don’t mind giving out publicly, listing it on your site is a great personal touch that lets people pick up the phone and call you. If you’d rather not receive random calls from salespeople or unqualified leads you may prefer an email address, Calendly form, or even better, a contact form that helps your prospects pre-qualify themselves.
Remember…
You can dress your homepage with images, logos, color palettes, icons, and more, but first you need that skeleton that holds everything together. And that’s the story, from head to toe.